Yes Virginia. There IS an 'S'

by Jeaneatte Ahlgren

'Arnold' 1979 Porsche 931S

It seems that every year that Porsche has made a car there was an "S"
package for it. A lot of times, the very next year, that "S" package would
become "standard." Always improving the car, and allowing a few of the lucky
to be the first on the block with the "HOT" new set up is "very
Porsche." Hence, the "S" 1979 924's, and the "S" 1980 924
Turbo's

In 1979 THE 924 to buy was the 924"S", or full factory M471 sport option. This
gave you the chassis of the 931 (924 Turbo) a "silly" but very obvious
.8" wider track, the brakes, the sway bars, stiffer springs (rated with two green
dots) and (red) Koni shock absorbers, and the turbo rear spoiler. We have a
"S" optioned '79 that has four bolt (6X15") spiders, with 4 cm wide rear
drum brake shoes as opposed to the regular 3 cm brake drum shoes. I have seen one other
that was also shod this way, but this was not the norm, as most of the 931's were the
five lug/all disc brake cars. Accordingly, most of the '79 924"S"s came
with five lug (6X15") spider mags and the four wheel disc brake systems. Car's with
the 15" wheels tracked 20 mm wider in the rear, thanks to wheel spacers.

In 1980 the 931's already fast already extremely elegant handling at high speeds, became
more so with the "S" M471 package. This included stiffer yet springs, (yellow)
Konis, (adjustable shocks in the rear, factory set for the front), 6X16" flat dish
style forged Fuchs with an anodized finish, 205/55 Pirelli P7's, 11.1" 911 SC
ventilated disk/ 928 calipered all around brakes, larger sway bars (23 mm front and 14
mm rear), 22.4:1 steering ratio rather than the 19.2:1 for the same four turns, but a
larger turning circle of 31.2 ft., and a smaller diameter four spoke leather wrapped
steering wheel.

The "S" hood decal was something that Porsche AG placed on the first three
months of '80 US spec factory M471 optioned 931's AND 924's. After that, it was deleted
from the "S" package. You COULD order it as a "side dish" IF you got
the FULL "S" package for your 931 or your 924 up until '82

Personally, the "S" hood decal is a great story. I had heard about, and read
about the decal. Indeed, I had seen a blistering 931 in action in Crescent City, CA,
months before buying mine that sported the same decal. BUT ... everyone that I talked
to, including the e-mail from Porsche AG flatly denying any such decal, made it clear
that it was "Aftermarket". That was until Joe Schnieder, then PCA 924-944
Tech, found the four "M471 1980 924 Turbo 'S' hood decal" FACTORY numbers.
Porsche NA was sent a photo of the decal (now on file) and in return sent me a car care
package.

The best way to find out whether or not your '79 924NA is an "S", is to call
PCNA, and ask them to look up the VIN for your car. At that time, you can also wrangle
out the rest of the options, such as the touring package, which included the electric
mirrors, and windows, leather trimmed interior, "premium" Panasonic stereo,
rear wiper, and sunroof..... But that's another story!

There are FOUR numbers for this decal.....it takes two sides to make the S, and
depending on the color of your car, you buy dark or light, (DUH!)